By Emma Unah
The University of Calabar will during her thirty-second convocation ceremony scheduled for this Saturday award degrees to nine thousand, one hundred and seventy four graduates and also confer honourary degrees on three eminent Nigerians.
Zana Akpagu, Professor and Vice Chancellor of the University who disclosed this stated that fifty one students bagged first class degrees, two thousand three hundred and fifty six got second class upper degrees while four thousand five hundred and thirty two students passed with second class lower degrees and six hundred and seventy two got third class degrees.
Similarly, 318 students would be awarded Ordinary Diplomas, 251 will get doctorate degrees and 221 students will take home Post Graduate degrees
He said the former Head of State, Abudulsalami Abubakar will be awarded a Doctor of Public Administration Honoris Causa because of his contributions to the development of the country, while former Cross River State governor, Clement Ebri, will be awarded a Honoris Causa in Political Science, just like Cletus Ilomuanya, Chairman of Igbo Traditional Rulers Council will be conferred with Honoris Causa in Business Administration
“University of Calabar does not award first class degrees without ensuring that the person so awarded is able to compete with the best in any part of the world”.
He said adequate security measures are being put in place to combat cultism, kidnappings and other criminal acts in the university through the establishment of police post and a naval jetty in the school.
“We have zero tolerance for academic fraud, crime and indiscipline because we are here to mold people both in learning and character
“One of the highpoints of the convocation will be the Research Fair and Exhibition on Thursday as all the faculties and departments in the university will showcase their research work. The university system is meant to add value to the society and all our departments will have to show their innovations,” Akpagu said.
